This invention relates to the sterilizing of articles contaminated with bacteria and bacterial spores and, more particularly, relates to the use of a fluorine interhalogen compound, such as chlorine trifluoride or chlorine pentafluoride as a chemosterilizing agent for sterilizing surfaces contaminated with bacteria and bacterial spores.
The use of gaseous chemical agents as an anti-microbial agent is known. Microbiocides for destroying bacterial and fungal spores and viruses are typified by gaseous ethylene oxide and formaldehyde. However, ethylene oxide is difficult to handle at concentrations and temperatures required for effective sterilization, such as at concentrations of 10% by volume, in that ethylene oxide at concentrations in excess of 3% by volume in air is violently explosive. In addition, ethylene oxide is flammable and toxic at lower concentrations. Ethylene oxide penetrates well into porous materials and, in that it is strongly absorbed by rubber and plastics, the vapours are not easily eliminated by aeration.
The use of gaseous formaldehyde may be undesirable in that it is likely to leave a residue of solid paraformaldehyde if applied in the high concentrations effective for sterilization. Also, formaldehyde gas does not penetrate effectively into porous and permeable materials.
Chlorine dioxide is also known as an effective chemosterilizing agent. U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,739 issued Jul. 21, 1987 to Rosenblatt et al discloses the use of chlorine dioxide gas with an inert carrier gas such as nitrogen for killing bacterial spores. The surface of an gaseous atmosphere effective to enhance the susceptibility of the spores to subsequent chemosterilization with the chlorine dioxide gas and an inert carrier gas.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an effective and stable chemosterilizlng agent at low levels of concentration.